The Alaskan Malamute is a powerful and muscular sled dog from Alaska. This hard-working dog is the largest sled dog. Malamutes are often put on dog teams in the Iditarod dog sled race in Alaska. Malamutes are known for extraordinary endurance but not for speed.

Fur: The Alaskan Malamute has a long, thick coat that lets it endure extremely cold weather. The coat is made of two layers, a short, dense, oily underlayer and a long, coarse guard coat.

Anatomy: The Alaskan Malamute is wolf-like in appearance. This heavy dog is about 2 feet (60 cm) tall at the shoulders and weighs about 75 to 85 pounds (34-39 kg). The male is a bit larger than the female. It has brown eyes and a fluffy tail held arched over the back.